Autographic register



May 22, 1934.

l.. BARKER AUTOGRAPHI C REGI STER v3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 29, 1952 @gama/ Harney NMVN May 22, 1934. BARKER AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Filed Sept. 29, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 22, 1934- l.. BARKER AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Filed Sept. 29. 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 22, 1934 UNITED PATENT ole-FICE poration of Illinois Application September 29, 1932, Serial No. 635,427

13 claims.

This invention relates particularly to autographic registers in which duplicating strips are drawn by hand from a supply-compartment and led across the platen of the machine.

i The primary object of the present invention is to provide a hand pull-out machine which is adapted to le a record-strip or strips in the record-compartment of the machine, although the invention is also useful in other types of machines.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which-*- Fig. 1 is a broken longitudinal sectional View of a machine embodying the invention; Fig. 2, a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view, showing a portion of the initial feed-device, taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 5; Fig. 3, a broken sectional view of the housing for the upper 20 presser-roller, taken as indicated at line 3 "of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a broken perspective View of the lower presser-roller and its supporting rockshaft; Fig; 5, a broken plan-view of the machine with the cover member removed; Fig. 6, a broken sectional View of the initial feed-device, taken as indicated at line 6 6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7,- a broken sectional view similar to Fig. 6, showing the reg; isterpins advanced and withdrawn from the register perforations in the stationery; Fig. 8, a broken sectional View of modied initial-'feed'- device; and Fig. 9, a broken sectional View of still another embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1-7, A designates a casing or frame provided with a packet-holding compartment A', a record strip compartment A2, a platen A3 over the compartment A', a cover A4 adapted to partially enclose the platen, and a closure A aording a cover for the compartment A2; B, initial feed-'mecha-v nism located beneath the platen A3; C, presser mechanism adapted to hold the strips of stationery in frictional engagement; D, a carbon strip roll container from which carbon strips extend transversely across the platen A3, interleaved be'- tween the stationery strips; and E, a separator adapted to separate the record strip from the issuing strip. Y

The casing A is of known construction; The platen A3 is 'pivotally connected at one lateral edge of the casing, in the well-known manner. `rIlheclosure A5 is connected with the ve'xtrenme front end of the casing by means of 'a transverse pivot 10, and the closure is shown equipped with a' lock 11.-

The initial feed-device is described in detail in Barker Patent 1,279,497. It may be stated, however, that this mechanism comprises aforwardly movable slide 12 which is provided with a cam face 13, and supports a pair of register pins 14 by means of leafsprings 15 which yieldingly urge the pins upwardly through longitudinally extending slots 16 in the platen A3. A rock-shaft 17 is actuated by a hand lever 18 indi cated by dotted lines outside of the casing. An arm 19, provided with a roller 19;A, is mounted on the rock-shaft and engages the cam surface 13 of the slide so as to move it forwardly when the shaft 17 is rocked. The shaft 17 is furi ther provided with an arm 20 which engages a slot in the slide 12 and serves to advance a wedge= like member 21 which bears against a cross-mem; ber 15^--A, mounted on the leaf-springs 15, and serves to depress the register-'pins when the shaft 17 is rocked to its eXtreme forward position. A shaft 22 supports a check-member 23 which is yielding'ly urged against the under side of the strips and serves to 'prevent their being retracted over the platen. It will be understood that while the strips are being withdrawn by hand, the rgister pins 14 bear againstthe lower side of the strips until they enter a set of register perforations in the advancing strips, whereupon they engage the' holes and assume the position shown in Fig. 6. The forward movement of the strips is thereby arrested and the forms are held in writing position.

After a set of forms have been filled in, the strips are advanced initially, beyond the'platen, by the forwardmoveme'nt of the pins 14,- which after reaching their most advanced position are retracted to the position shown in Fig. 7 and returned by the feed mechanism B to the rear position where they will engage the next set of register perforations in the stationery. The mechanism, as stated before, is described i-n detail in the Barker patent.v

The front end ofthe cover member A4 provides a tear-off bar 25 which is Ypositioned above the register pins 14 and is provided with peepholes 25fA, through which the register pins may beobserved when engaging the register perforations', and aJ sharpened front edge 25e-B', on which the "strips issuing from the machine may be severed.v The lower side of the bar 25 is equipped with a pair of slots 254C which permit the pins` to move forwardly without being entirely Withdrawn from beneath the bar.

TheV presser mechanism C serves to hold Vthe strips in frictional engagement so that the withdawal of the issuing strips will propel the lower strip, or record-strip, into the record-compartment A2. The mechanism comprises an upper feed roller 27 which is journaled in a housing 28, which is attached to the tear-off bar 25 by means of screws 28--l-l; and a lower feed-roll 29 which is journaled in a yoke 30, which is rigidly mounted upon a rock-shaft 31. The lower feed roll is urged upwardly by means of a coil spring 32. The rock-shaft 3l is equipped with a camarm 33 which is engaged by an extension 34 on the cam-arm 13. It will be understood that when the slide l2 advances the pins 14, the eX- tension 34 will engage the arm 33 and lower the presser-roll 29 and thereby release the strips.

The carbon roll container D is of the usual type and need not be described in detail.

The divider member E is pivotally mounted on the front portion of the closure member A5. mounting permits the end portion 35 to be inserted beneath the tear-off bar 25 when the closure is lowered into normal position. The divider is provided with a pair of guides 36 which flank a finger opening 37 and permit the ends of the strip to be grasped readily when they have been advanced by the initial feed-device B. The separator is provided with a downwardly extending iin 38 which directs the record strip into the compartment A2. A concavo-conveX member 39 is pivotally suspended from the hinge 40 which joins the separator E to the closure A5. The member 39 is in almost constant' contact with the incoming record strip and serves to assist the zig-Zag re-folding of said strip.

While it is desirable to employ an initial-feed device having pins, or lingers, adapted to enter registering perforations and effect aligning of the forms, it is not desired to unnecessarily limit the invention claimed herein. It will be understood that the presser-means will. serve to insure the feeding of the copy into the filing or storage ccmpartment A2 whenever the issuing strips (above the separator E) are gripped and drawn forward by hand.

In operation, after a form of the continuousform stationery has been filled in, the lever 18 is moved upwardly, which causes the pins 14, in engagement with the register perforations, to draw forwardly and align the stationery. This forward movement simultaneously releases the presser-means and upon reaching the forward end of the pin-travel, the pins are withdrawn from the perforations and slid rearwardly where they will bear against the lower side of the strips and engage the next set of perforations. Upon the return of the pins to their initial position, the presser-rolls willclamp the strips together and thewithdrawal, by hand, of the upper strip or strips will propel the lower strip intothe record compartment where it will be re-folded by the assistance of a swinging member 39. When the pins engage the next set of perforations, the advance of the stationery is arrested and the form -to be issued from the machine may be severed on the edge of the tear-off bar 25-B.

In the modication shown in Fig. 8, another form of initial feed-device is illustrated with a hand pull-out machine. A similar feed-device is employed in the modification shown in Fig. 9, but in connection with a recordingl type of register. Similar numbers will be used to designate similar parts in both modifications. Y

In these modifications an upper presser-roller 45 is journaled in a housing 45a which is supported by the tear-off bar 46. The lower presserroller 47 is journaled in a rock-'arm 4'7a on the This rock-shaft 48, which is equipped with an operating arm 48a (shown dotted) The rock-arm 4'7a is urged upwardly by a spring, not shown. Another rock-shaft 49 is operated by hand outside zof the casing. This shaft supports a pair of register-pins 50, which rock through longitudinal slots in the platen and are yieldingly urged upwardly by means of springs 50a. The shaft is further provided with a cam 5l which supports a roller-shaft 52 working through a slot 53 in the casing to engage the arm 48a and lower the roller 4'? when the shaft is rocked forwardly.

A rock-shaft 54 is also .iournaled in the casing and is equipped with rearwardly projecting arms 54a whichrare in constant engagement with collars 50b of the register-pins and serve to depress the same. An operating-arm 54b is lifted to its uppermost position by the action of the cam-arm 51a. The operating-arm is held in raised position by means of a trigger 55 which is urged forwardly by means of a spring 56. The arm is released when the cam-butt 5lb forces the trigger rearwardly, that is, when the shaft 49 is rocked to its extreme forward position.

In operation, feed is initiated by rocking the shaft 49 forwardly. The pins draw the paper from under the tear-off blade until swept from engagement with the stationery by the arms 54a, whereupon they will swing back and bear against the lower side of the paper until they encounter the next set of register perforations in the strips which are being drawn forwardly by hand. At the same time the shaft 49 is rocked forwardly the lower presser-roller is depressed through the action of roller-shaft 52.

In the modification shown in Fig. 8, the presser-rollers are particularly useful because they securely grip the papel' during the writing operation, they insure the uniform withdrawal of all the strips even though the operator fails to grip l larly useful in hand pull-out registers, equipped with ling compartments, it isY also of considerable advantage in the simpler type of register.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 9, a similar register is shown provided with a filing compartment 56 which has a hinged cover 56a and a pivotally connected divider-member 57. Theiiling-compartment is further provided with a swinging guide-member 53 which is adapted to direct the re-folding of the record strip or strips in the corri-I partment. The divider-member 57 is provided with stationery guide-members 57a to facilitate grasping of the issuing-strips when they have been advanced beyond the tear-off bar. The machine operates substantially like the one illustrated in Fig. l. i

I do not claim to be the inventor of the various initial feed-devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Practically any initial feed-device may be adapted to the present invention. However, it is desirable to provide means for automatically releasing the pressure between the rolls while the initial feed-device is operated.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations shouldV be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in View of the prior art.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a register: a casing provided with a supply compartment and a platen over which stationery strips may be led from said compartment; an initial feed-device adapted to advance the strips beyond said platen; a pair of opposed presser rolls adapted to hold said strips in frictional engagement; and means for spreading said rolls while the strips are advanced by said initial feeddevice.

2. In a register: a casing provided with a platen over which continuous-form stationery provided at regularly spaced intervals with register perforations may be drawn; a tear-off bar mounted above and near the front end of said platen; presser-means adapted to hold said strips in frictional engagement so that the withdrawal of one of said strips will propel the others therewith; and a movable register pin adapted to engage the perforations and initiate the advance of said strips over said platen.

3. A register as specied in claim 2, in which the register pin is mounted on a slide and said slide is adapted to release the presser-means to facilitate the advancing of the strips.

4. A register as specified in claim 2, in which the presser-means comprises an upper presser-roll journaled in the tear-off bar, and a lower presserroll supported on a rock shaft and yieldingly urged towards said upper feed-roll.

5. In a register: a casing provided with a record-compartment, a supply compartment, and a platen surmounting said supply compartment; yieldingly urged register pins adapted to engage register perforations and to stop the advance of continuous-form strips drawn from said supply compartment over said platen; means for advancing the strips by means of said pins; means for withdrawing the pins from said perforations and returning the pins to the initial strip-engaging position; a separator adapted to separate a strip to be issued from the recordstrip; presser-rolls adapted to hold the strips in frictional engagement so that the withdrawal of the strips to be issued from the register will propel the record-strip into said record compartment; and means for releasing the grip of said presser-rolls to facilitate the advancing of the strips.

6. A register as specified in claim 5, in which one of said rolls is supported on a rock shaft provided with an actuating arm and the means for releasing the grip of the rolls comprises a member adapted to move with said pins and engage said actuating arm.

7. In a hand-pull register: a platen; means for holding continuous-form stationery; a device for initially advancing the stationery, said device having a measured feed and provided with pins serving to enter register-perforations in the stationery and initiate the feed of the stationery less than one form-length; a separator; receiving-means for storing a record-strip passed beneath said separator; and presser-means adapted to cause feeding-friction to be exerted upon said record-strip by the strip or strips issuing above said separator when the latter strips are drawn forwardly by hand-pull.

8. A register as specified in claim 7, in which said presser-means is periodically separated and afterwards permitted to resume pressure-exerting position after the initial feed has been effected.

9. In a register: a casing provided with a platen over which a plurality of superposed stationery strips may be led, a record-compartment adapted to receive and store one of said strips, and a tear-off blade for severing an issuing strip; a pair of opposed idle presser-rollers disposed so as to hold said strips in such frictional engagement that the withdrawal of the issuing strip by a pull exerted thereon can propel the record strip intov the record-compartment; and an initial feed-device adapted to align and advance the strips beyond the tear-off blade.

10. In a register: a casing provided with a platen over which a plurality of continuous-form stationery strips may be led and a record-compartment adapted to receive and store one of said strips; presser-means adapted to hold said strips in such frictional engagement that the withdrawal of an issuing strip by pull exerted thereon will propel a record strip into the recordcompartment; and feed-means for initially aligning and advancing the strips having a measured feed of less than one form-length.

11. A register as specified in claim 10, in which the presser-means is disposed near the front end of said platen and comprises a pair of idle opposed-rolls, and spring means for urging them together.

12. In an autographic register: a casing provided with a platen over which a plurality of continuous-form stationery strips may be led and a record compartment adapted to receive and store one of said strips, an initial feeding and aligning device having a measured feed of less than one form length, and means for transmitting the feeding action of one strip to another so that the manual withdrawal of an issuing strip will cause a record strip to be propelled into the record compartment.

13. In an autographic register: a casing provided with a platen over which a plurality of continuous-form stationery strips may be led and a record compartment adapted to receive and store one of said strips, means for transmitting the feeding action of one strip to another so that the manual withdrawal of an issuing strip will cause a record strip to be propelled into the record compartment, and initial feed means having a measured feed of less than a form-length for initially advancing and aligning the strips.

LEWIS BARKER. 

